Greenwich Autism Alliance (GAA)

Greenwich Autism Alliance (GAA) We're in NEW JERSEY, don't be fooled by "Greenwich" :) GAA is a hyper-local NWNJ autism charity!

ANNUAL REPORT FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 September 25, 2024

TRANSPARENCY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US! If you have any questions about our programs, please reach out for information. Your giving directly supports people with autism. Through your support, we were able to help many families in the past year in challenging circumstances struggling with school, home aggression, financial challenges, and lack of in-home therapies and respite. This past year we aided Autism New Jersey in providing families with support and resources, as well as their advocacy with legislators in Trenton. Along with Branching Out Foundation, we led local autism support groups and events for parents providing meetings, literature, grants, and recreation. We partnered with the Crayola Experience and Freefall trampoline park for sensory friendly family events. Our GAA Grant program funded grants to families and teachers for iPads, camp, training, equipment, therapies, as well as outreach to local schools, camps and special needs organizations. As always, 100% of net proceeds are used to support our mission: “money raised here, stays here.”

Thanks to your overwhelming generosity at last year’s golf outing, we were able to grant >$165K:

 $44,000 Autism NJ: Autism NJ diligently works and advocates improving the lives of people with autism. ANJ provides information, advocacy, consultation, services, family and professional education, and public awareness
 $44,000 GAA Community Grants Program: Grants to local families in need and autism programs, incl. therapies, iPads, advocacy support, family respite and emergency assistance, adult programs, and training sessions
 $20,000 Anthony Marino Rutgers University Doctoral Studies Award: Scholarship award for PhD candidate(s) at RU Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center (DDDC) in field of autism (Melisa Dennis & Jeanine Ederer)
 $17,000 Page One Resource Center: BOF Community Resource Center for families with special needs in under-served Warren County, NJ providing weekly social skills groups, family education, resource referral, and training
 $10,000 Warren County schools: grants to local schools for autism program enhancements, autism awareness assemblies, iPads, technology, Autism Club, etc. Greenwich Twp, Phillipsburg School District, Holland Twp,
 $10,000 Autism Support Group: Facilitated and funded family support groups, parent training, speaker sessions, books, and local recreation events such as FreeFall trampoline park, Crayola Experience, A Mother’s Rest respite
 $6,000 Local Outreach: micro grants to local NJ organizations helping families with extra needs, Alternatives, Autism Hero Award, Blue Bridge Autism Training, Certified Fitness for Special Needs CFSN, LEE Services, etc.
 $5,000 NJ Daredevils: Special needs ice hockey supporting players of all abilities, “Hockey Is For EVERYONE”
 $4,000 ARC of Warren County: Warren County Autism Awareness month speaker Tim Rohrer & Camp Warren
 $3,000 Branching Out Foundation: summer bowling, social skills sessions, annual local Sensitive Santa, recreation, and community events inclusion support
 $2,000 High School Scholarships: special needs high school graduates pursuing secondary education

Again, on behalf of everyone helping and supporting Greenwich Autism Alliance, THANK YOU! Kelly Milazzo

The Greenwich Autism Alliance (GAA) is a 501( c )(3) tax exempt foundation and as such donations are fully tax deductible under section 170 of the code. GAA EIN is 26-0192605, and 501 ( c )(3) tax exempt documentation will gladly be furnished upon request. GAA IS 100% VOLUNTEER: "MONEY RAISED HERE, STAYS HERE"
Greenwich Autism Alliance (GAA) was founded in New Jersey in 2007. We are a local NW NJ autism charity to benefit our state support organization, Autism NJ, as well as local special needs organizations, teachers, and families with special needs. We run an annual golf outing to raise funds, and we’ve granted over $1.8M to date! Transparency is VERY important to us, so please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. THANKS to all our sponsors, donors, volunteers and supporters: YOU MADE THIS HAPPEN! WE HAVE GRANTED OVER $1.8 MILLION DOLLARS SINCE OUR FIRST OUTING IN 2007:
• $725k Autism NJ: ANJ diligently advocates improving the lives of people with autism. ANJ provides information, advocacy, consultation, services, family and professional education, and annual conference
• $220k GAA Community Grants Program: microgrants to families, teachers and autism programs for recreation events, iPads, learning programs, conference attendance, specialty equipment, emergency funding, family and teacher grants, and autism awareness events
• $104k Anthony Marino / Rutgers University Doctoral Studies Award (renamed 2022): scholarships to the RU Graduate School of Applied Professional Psychology, Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center (DDDC) awarded at the graduate school level for study in the field of autism; PhD doctoral candidates in clinical psychology committed to treatment of autism
• $106k Greenwich Township School: inclusion consultation, specialty teacher/parent training, technology, services, educational materials, autism program enhancements, annual Junior Autism Ambassador Club, books, and autism awareness events
• $97k Local Outreach: grants to support organizations to further their work supporting families with special needs locally; Abilities, Ability2Work, Alternatives, Arc of Warren County, Autism Hero Award, LEE Services, Blue Bridge Autism Training, Certified Fitness for Special Needs, etc.
• $96k Parent Support Groups: meetings, speakers, respite, books, training materials, and recreation
• $95k Branching Out Foundation: summer bowling, annual local Sensitive Santa, community inclusion events; funding for BOF PageOne Community Resource Center for families in under-served Warren County providing weekly social skills groups, family support, resource referral, training and events
• $80k Phillipsburg High School: teacher training, technology support, iPads, educational materials, Inclusion Week, Liner Buddies Club for social inclusion, classroom donations, and awareness programs
• $73k NJ Daredevils: Special hockey program for children of ALL abilities
• $65k Social Thinking Groups (STG) Scholarships: Social thinking therapy in intensive small group and one on one social skill interventions for individuals with social challenges, esp. ASD
• $63k High School Scholarships: scholarships for high school Seniors of unique abilities in Warren County, NJ who are graduating from high school and pursuing college or post-secondary higher ed.
• $25k Local Schools: Kingwood Twp., Lopatcong School, Oxford District, Stepping Stone School, Warren Hills, Warren Co. Special Services School District: iPads, AAC training, Listening Program, classroom supplies, playground equipment, positive behavior incentives, life skills and CBI funding, etc.
• $20k POAC: Parents Of Autistic Children (POAC) Verbal Behavior (VB) seminars with 100+ teachers, parents & professionals receiving 15 hours intensive training FREE; safety seminars to parents, and first responder training

The Greenwich Autism Alliance (GAA) is a 501( c )(3) tax exempt foundation and as such donations are fully tax deductible under section 170 of the code.

09/08/2025

PEERS is a widely recognized evidence-based social skills program—helping autistic teens & adults make friends, navigate dating, and build workplace success.

Join us on September 25 to hear from PEERS program creator, Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, as she shares her insights and proven strategies backed by 85 peer-reviewed studies. Register today! https://researchautism.org/oar-impact-day/ -4

09/03/2025
LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS TIL OUTING # 19! NEW BLOG POST, READ ALL ABOUT IT. CLICK THE PIC:
09/02/2025

LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS TIL OUTING # 19! NEW BLOG POST, READ ALL ABOUT IT. CLICK THE PIC:

It's less than four weeks until our 19th annual GAA golf outing fundraiser at the Colonia Country Club! Sign up today! We have great golf, gifts, food, speakers, and amazing raffles. This year our keynote speaker is Popc...

08/30/2025

BREAKING: Philadelphia Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie Announces Ticket Price Reductions for Disabled Fans and Families Facing Hardship.
See the full article below 👇👇

GAA JUMP PARTY 9/10 6-8; come jump! new blog post, read all about it:
08/26/2025

GAA JUMP PARTY 9/10 6-8; come jump! new blog post, read all about it:

It's *FREE* :) It's been over a year since we've had a jump party; come jump with us on Wednesday, September 10 from 6-8pm at the "old FreeFall," SkyZone, 2800 Baglyos Cir, Bethlehem, PA 18020. To register, email Kelly a...

08/25/2025

At Spectrum Works, we know that inclusion isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a movement. For over a decade, we’ve partnered with forward-thinking businesses to prove that autistic and neurodiverse talent strengthens teams and drives innovation. But building a workforce that truly works for everyone requires more than partnerships with employers. It requires a holistic approach that includes collaboration with legislators, educators, and advocacy groups to create systemic change.

That’s why we were proud to stand with Senator Andrew Zwicker, Bergen Logistics, and other leaders to support a groundbreaking legislative package in New Jersey. These bills introduce tax incentives, grants, and dedicated college programming that will make inclusive hiring more accessible, especially for small and mid-sized businesses that want to do the right thing but need resources to start.

This is a significant step forward, but it’s only the beginning. By combining employer engagement, education, advocacy, and now policy change, we can make inclusive hiring not just an option, but the standard.

Read more about how this legislation and Spectrum Works’ mission come together to create meaningful opportunities for autistic and neurodiverse individuals in our latest blog post.

🔗 https://www.spectrumworks.org/post/letter-from-the-ceo-a-legislative-step-toward-true-inclusion-how-we-can-build-a-more-inclusive-wor

It’s long but so accurate. Holland Schmolland
08/20/2025

It’s long but so accurate. Holland Schmolland

Parenting a Child with Special Needs Is Nothing Like Welcome to Holland

If you’re a parent of a child with disabilities, chances are someone has handed you Emily Kingsley’s poem Welcome to Holland. It gets passed around like some universal balm, as if those words can soften the blow of a diagnosis or wrap up our entire reality in a metaphor about tulips and windmills.

But let me be clear: parenting a child with special needs is nothing like Holland.

It’s not a vacation. It’s not a scenic detour. It’s not “different, but still beautiful.” That poem is a fairytale that might make outsiders feel better about our reality—but for those of us living this life every single day, it falls painfully short.

It’s Not a Missed Flight—It’s a Free Fall

Welcome to Holland wants you to believe this journey is like expecting Italy and winding up in Holland instead. But when I got my child’s diagnosis, it didn’t feel like a detour to a neighboring country.

It felt like being shoved out of an airplane without a parachute. You hit the ground hard. The impact knocks the air out of you. You’re shattered, bleeding in ways no one else can see. But you don’t die—you get back up, because your child needs you to.
This isn’t a “change of plans.” This is survival.

It’s Not a Sightseeing Tour—It’s a Battlefield

The poem paints this picture of simply adjusting expectations and learning to enjoy new scenery. But this life is not strolling through museums—it’s combat.

Every day is a fight:
Fighting for insurance approvals.
Fighting for services that are constantly cut.
Fighting school systems that see your child as a budget line, not a human being.
Fighting exhaustion while never having the option to tap out.
You don’t return from battle with souvenirs. You come back with scars.

The Loneliness Is Real

Kingsley suggests that if you just open your eyes, you’ll find Holland has its own community of travelers. The reality? Most of us are walking this road alone.

Friends fade. Invitations stop. Family doesn’t always get it. Society moves forward, and you’re left behind—living a life most can’t fathom. Yes, there are others in the trenches too, but the day-to-day weight of this journey is often isolating beyond words.

There are no tulips here. There’s silence, there’s distance, and there’s the ache of watching life move on without you.

The Poem Minimizes the Grief

What I resent most about Welcome to Holland is how it diminishes the grief to something as simple as missing out on Italy.

This isn’t about canceled gondola rides. It’s about mourning the life I thought my child would have. It’s about the milestones that may never come, the uncertainty of the future, and the brutal truth that love doesn’t erase suffering.

The grief doesn’t vanish—it evolves. It comes in waves, weaving itself into joy, pride, resilience, and heartbreak so tightly they’re inseparable.
But don’t tell me this is a “different kind of beautiful.” That minimizes the cost of what we carry.

Why Welcome to Holland Is Dangerous
The reason so many professionals love handing this poem out is because it comforts them. It gives them a tidy way to explain away our grief and reality without having to sit in the discomfort of it.

It suggests we’re all on some kind of accidental holiday—just not the one we signed up for. But we’re not tourists. We’re warriors. Survivors. Parents who have been drafted into a life we never chose, with no exit strategy.

Welcome to Holland doesn’t honor that reality. It sugarcoats it.

The Real Story
Parenting a child with special needs is relentless. It’s terrifying. It’s exhausting. It’s isolating. It’s also filled with a love so deep and consuming it often feels impossible to put into words.

But it is not Holland.
It’s waking up in a land with no map, no compass, no guidebook—where you build the roads yourself, where storms come without warning, and where every small victory feels monumental because of what it took to get there.
It’s not tulips and windmills. It’s scars, grit, grief, and resilience. It’s the kind of strength you don’t know you have until it’s the only option left.

So don’t hand us pretty metaphors. Don’t reduce this life to a postcard. Don’t try to sell us on Holland.
Give us resources. Give us understanding. Give us people who are brave enough to walk beside us in the trenches.

Because this isn’t Holland. It’s something much harder, much deeper, and much more real. And the truth is—we deserve for it to be seen that way.

“We’re not tourists here—we’re warriors.” Stacy Warden — Noah’s Miracle

Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FP9YB4V2?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Copyright & Creative Commons Notice
This essay is © [Stacy Warden], [2005]. All rights reserved. It is licensed under a [Creative Commons License, e.g., CC BY-NC-ND 4.0]. You are welcome to read, share, and distribute this work non-commercially, provided you give appropriate credit, do not alter the content, and do not use it for commercial purposes. Any other use, reproduction, or distribution requires prior written permission from the author.

08/18/2025

Who wants to be ordinary when you can be EXTRAordinary?!

PROUD Platinum Sponsor of ANJ Conference!
08/14/2025

PROUD Platinum Sponsor of ANJ Conference!

A heartfelt THANK YOU to the Greenwich Autism Alliance (GAA) for being a Platinum Sponsor of our 43rd Annual !

GAA is a true champion for the autism community, granting 100% of net fundraising to agencies, schools, families, and professionals. Their mission to promote autism awareness, acceptance, and support through local grants makes a meaningful difference.

08/14/2025

💰 August 14 is National ABLE Savings Day!

ABLE accounts (Achieving a Better Life Experience) empower people with disabilities to save money without impacting their eligibility for vital public benefits like Medicaid and SSI.

Our 800.4.AUTISM Helpline can help families and self-advocates with questions about ABLE accounts, qualified expenses, tax consequences, and more!

https://autismnj.org/.../nj-able-frequently-asked-questions/

08/13/2025

A new documentary is casting fresh light on one of the nation's most well-known people with autism.

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Po Box 155
Stewartsville, NJ
08886

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We're in NEW JERSEY, don't be fooled by "Greenwich" :) GAA is a local NWNJ autism charity; we run an annual golf outing to benefit local families, special ed teachers & local schools, support organizations, and Autism NJ. THANK YOU for your support!